> I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Freaks and Geeks. It is not a book, but it’s a smart, nuanced television show that, I think, ‘reads” as a literary text. This show ran for one year (’99-00) on NBC and is now a cult classic and critical favorite; in regards to bullying, its strength lies in connecting greater socioeconomic forces to the lives of bullies and their targets. (Note: I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention Glee. And Mean Girls. And Everybody Loves Chris. And 30 Rock’s “Reunion” episode.)
Last, research shows that reading is a great way to teach kids empathy and other forms of social and emotional intelligence—if that’s true, then the act of learning to read is a path away from bullying. Try to expose children to literature about other cultures, traditions, and ways of living–that’ll ensure the biggest bang for your buck (or library card).
"Welcome to the Queer Hip-Hop Revolution, young-adult-style. Transgressive Y.A. novels are all the rage—all the cool kids are reading them. Thus, continuing my desperate, life-long mission to sit at the popular table, I am too. Being a huge supporter of grrrl rockers, I fell hard for Laura Goode’s Sister Mischief (Candlewick Press), which centers on a swaggering, all-chick teen hip-hop group from the mean streets of, um, a wealthy, super-Christian suburb of Minneapolis. You can’t help but cheer as Goode’s crew—starring Esme, a Jewish lesbian songwriter who goes by “M.C. Ferocious”; D.J. SheStorm, a badass breeder; and M.C. Rohini, a hot desi chick and Ferocious’s love interest—take over a pep rally, read Diane di Prima, and throw down rhymes."
— Just My Type: The Best Books of 2011 You Haven’t Read | Elissa Schappell | Vanity Fair
Rapunzel’s Tower
Today on Design Observer you’ll find GNA’s reimagining of Rapunzel’s tower. Invited by Andrew and Kate Bernheimer to produce a design for a fairy tale related structure, GNA was happy to join Bernheimer Architecture and LEVENBETTS in designing an enchanted space.
(via schonheitsschock)
So this was from Jan 10 of last year. Anyone have guesses for what will win this year?
By the way, the above-mentioned book sounds marvelous -
“A young adult novel about a transgender girl—told from the perspective of the straight boy who falls for her—“Almost Perfect” is exceptional. The writing is sensitive, haunting and revelatory,” said Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Award committee chair Lisa Johnston.
- I definitely want to read it!
Image courtesy of Cracked.
Links straight through to slide #2: The Moon Over High Street, by Natalie Babbitt (author of Tuck Everlasting). Release date March 1. Get pumped.
“He’s one of the few children’s authors who’s actually killed people…He was unequivocal that it is the good, young and kind who triumph over the old, greedy and the wicked.”
Everyone should have a place in their heart for Roald Dahl, whether you’re young or old.
Andrew Carnegie built an impressive 2,509 libraries around the turn of the 20th century. Now Rick Brooks and Todd Bol are on a mission to top his total with their two-foot by two-foot Little Free Libraries.
The diminutive, birdhouse-like libraries, which Brooks and Bol began installing in Hudson and Madison, Wisconsin, in 2009, are typically made of wood and Plexiglas and are designed to hold about 20 books for community members to borrow and enjoy. Offerings include anything from Russian novels and gardening guides to French cookbooks and Dr. Seuss.
(via fuckyeahbookarts)
An associate professor of English at UNC Charlotte. Seems pretty badass. Her listed interests include
Multicultural Children’s Literature
American and British Children’s Literature
Visual Images and Children’s Literature
19th Century American Literature
Images of Slavery in Literature
Film and Popular Culture
So, basically, most of my favorite topics in Children’s Literature :) Anyway, click through to see some of the cool work she’s done/doing.
ANGIE SCHIAVONE reviews the results of the national children’s book awards, some of which raise questions about an ideal readership.
Ooooh, a lot of the books on this list sound really great! Australia has got it going on, apparently. I saw some requests for book recommendations on my dash and tracked tags - add some of these to your lists!
I am of the opinion that this type of program/title needs to become more of a “thing” if (a) children’s literature is to become more culturally valued and (b) education/literacy is going to be regarded as important.
In America we have the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, which doesn’t even have its own Wikipedia page. Ireland just created a similar position called the Laureate na nÓg, which is like the super-coolest name ever. Anyway, that’s my two cents.
(via It’s Alive! | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine)
This is awesome, and it’s actually the second book of science for kids that James Dunbar has written. It’s Alive! is all about the physics and chemistry of biology. How life happens in the primordial earth.
You can read a small, low-res version online. You can buy an ebook version for $5, or you can buy a print edition. It’s available for free to educators by emailing the author and is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share-a-Like license.
His first book is called Bang! It’s about the physics of the Big Bang and cosmology up to the formation of the Earth.
Phil’s write-up is here: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/04/19/comic-bang/
There is a third book planned. I’m guessing about evolution, based on the progression so far.
